CombatCritic's TravelValue™: happy hour

Showing posts with label happy hour. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Dundee, OR: Country Store Feel And Overpriced Food, Visit Only During Happy Hour

Red Hills Market

155 SW 7th Street

Dundee, OR 97115

(971) 832-8414

Website

Hours: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 7 Days a Week

Prices: $$$$

Sitting a half block back off the main road, I would not have known it was there had our golf pro not suggested going here after an OPGA Senior Pro-Am in McMinnville, in the rain no less.

Interesting space with a country store feel, you wind your way through food and drink products before ordering at the register, protected by a plexiglass screen. They have a limited menu with breakfast ($8 - $12), appetizers ($7 - $20), soups and salads ($5 - $13), individual, handmade wood-fired pizzas ($13 - $16), sandwiches ($9 - $13), cookies ($3), and a variety of drinks, including wines and beers.

We were lucky enough to get there during Happy Hour, so I took advantage, ordering a Margherita Pizza ($10 - normally $13) - named after Queen Margherita of Napoli because it was her favorite pizza and is the color of the Italian flag, red, white and green - and a hazy IPA ($5 - normally $6). Fifteen bucks for dinner and a beer, not bad and a decent TravelValue!

The pizza was pretty good, not great, and definitely not a vero pizza napolitana (true Neapolitan pizza), coming with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese topped with fresh basil leaves and drizzled with EVO. The beer selection was not very robust and the Hazy Bubblewrap IPA, the only IPA on tap, was rather nondescript.

Cute place, decent food, and a bit pricey for non-happy hour food and drink, but worth a visit, particularly during happy hour (3-6pm Monday - Friday) because the sandwiches, which looked very good by the way, DO NOT come with a side (fries, chips, salad, etc.).

If I were to return, highly unlikely, I might try the Rym Reuben with house smoked pastrami, sauerkraut, and gruyere cheese served on toasted rye bread along with a hot side of pickles ($12) off of the main menu and a side of the happy hour Jojos (fries - $5, normally $8, quite steep for a side of fries). Along with a beer, $22 still would not be a bad price for a decent sandwich, fries and a drink, but $20 for just a reuben and fries, no beer, is a bit absurd.

CombatCritic Gives Red Hills Market 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Continue Mission"

Monday, August 27, 2018

Vancouver, WA: No Bitterness Here, Amaro's Happy Hour Is Sweeeeet

Amaro’s Table

1220 Main Street, Suite 100

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone number (360) 718-2942

Website: amarostable.com

Prices: $$$$

I was a little hesitant after seeing the exterior of Amaro's Table ("amaro" means "bitter" in Italian), a

small, glass fishbowl environment with modern, minimalist furnishings in the corner of a sterile, boring, multi-story office building in downtown Vancouver. I usually prefer warmer wood tones over glass, steel and concrete, but we decided to give them a try anyway ... and am I glad we did!

They have a reasonably priced menu with an eclectic selection of starters ($5-$12), salads ($6-$16), burgers and sandwiches ($10-$14), and entrees ("large plates" - $14-$26), but their Happy Hour menu (2pm-5pm daily in the dining room) made me very happy! With a widely varied selection of tasty savory and sweet treats, prices start at $3 for House Made Chips and Ranch Dressing or a Caesar Salad and top out at just $5 for a Bavarian Cheese Fondue (with a giant pretzel), Cheeseburger, Fish & Chips, or Flatbread.

We ordered an iced tea ($3 - minimum drink order for Happy Hour pricing) and an (IPA - $5) as well as the Carnitas Tacos ($4) and the Bavarian Cheese Fondue and Pretzel, a Cheese Burger, and Fish & Chips ($5 each). The portions were not very big as we were warned by Stephanie (our server), but appropriate for the price. It was nice to sample several dishes in one go, allowing us to determine if will return in the future. We shall.

The Cheese Burger ($5) looked smallish and very lonely on the plate, a 3-4 ounce patty on a toasted brioche bun with caramelized onion, tomato, pickle and house sauce, but it was tasty nonetheless.

The Fish and Chips ($5) consisted of two small breaded, deep-fried fish filets, a small portion of fries, and tartar sauce. The fish was crispy and very good, and the fries came in handy while chowing down on the burger.

Our Bavarian Cheese Fondue ($5) was rich and savory with a hint of chardonnay and Swiss cheese along with the massive, soft pretzel. There was more than enough fondue to go around for pretzel dipping with a little leftover.

The two Carnitas Tacos ($4) had two large corn tortillas each and were stuffed with shredded pork shoulder in an adobo sauce and topped with shredded cabbage, accompanied by a homemade salsa verde. In my opinion, the tacos were the best value on the menu at just $2 a pop, a relative bargain in my eyes, as well as being scrumdiddlyumptious.

Stephanie was very attentive, efficient and friendly as were her numerous tattooed comrades who greeted us a we entered and said goodbye when we left. The place was nearly empty when we arrived at 3:45 PM, but was packed when we left just before 5 PM, a good sign.

At $42, including tax and tip, Amaro's Table is a definite "TravelValue" and worth a visit in my opinion, whether for happy hour, lunch or dinner.

CombatCritic Gives Amaro's Table 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Shits & Grins"

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Vancouver, WA: Operation Schnitzel: Gustav’s Remains a Trusted Rally Point

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Dundee, OR: Country Store Feel And Overpriced Food, Visit Only During Happy Hour

Monday, August 27, 2018

Vancouver, WA: No Bitterness Here, Amaro's Happy Hour Is Sweeeeet

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